An incredible range of flower colours and patterns arise from the 300+ species and the 1000's of cultivated forms. Adaptable to a range of conditions, from the sun-worshipping bearded irises, including those bred by Cedric Morris at Benton End, damp-loving sibericas, and early flowering Reticulata irises.
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Iris forms are legion, and almost all attract pollinators, especially the larger bees. The only possible exceptions are those highly bred, flouncy cultivars whose petal modifications may make nectar in particular more inaccessible. Some, like the winter/early spring-flowering forms such as the reticulata and unguicularis types and the species that produce bright berries (especially I. foetidissima) provide an important food resource for winter birds, from pheasants to blackbirds.